CHICAGO - Corey Crawford made 34 saves in his third career postseason shutout, and the Chicago Blackhawks got back into their playoff series with the St. Louis Blues with a 2-0 victory in Game 3 on Monday night.
Jonathan Toews and Marcus Kruger scored as the defending Stanley Cup champions bounced back after two overtime losses in St. Louis. Toews’ 21st postseason goal was only the second score by a Blackhawks forward in the series.
Ryan Miller shook off another slow start and finished with 23 saves, but Toews’ shot at 4:10 of the first went through the goaltender’s legs and was costly.
It was quite a turnaround for Crawford, who was upset with his play after Saturday’s 4-3 loss.
Barret Jackman’s winning goal in Game 2 went through Crawford, prompting the goaltender to say he had to play better for Chicago to win.
Just two days later, he came up with one of the best games of his career.
Crawford seemed to be in the right place at the right time all night, drawing chants of “Co-rey! Co-rey from the capacity crowd at the United Center.
He was helped by a sound performance by Duncan Keith and the rest of the Blackhawks’ defensemen, who stepped up while playing without the suspended Brent Seabrook.
The Blues, who scored tying goals late in regulation in each of the first two games, pulled Miller with 57 seconds left, but the Blackhawks held on. Kruger stuffed home an empty-netter in the final seconds.
Game 4 is Wednesday night.
Each team was without a key contributor after Seabrook wiped out Blues center David Backes with a big hit in Game 2.
The five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for Seabrook led to Vladimir Tarasenko’s tying power-play goal with 6.4 seconds left.
Seabrook was suspended for three games by the NHL, putting Sheldon Brookbank in the lineup for the first time in the series. Playing with Keith, Brookbank turned in a solid performance in his 19th career playoff game.
While Backes was held out with an upper-body injury, center Patrik Berglund returned for the Blues after missing three games with an upper-body injury.
PENGUINS 4, BLUE JACKETS 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Brandon Sutter, Lee Stempniak and Jussi Jokinen scored in a span of 2:13 of the third period to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series thanks to the goals on three consecutive shots.
Brooks Orpik added a goal in the final seconds of the second period as the Penguins stormed back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1. Marc-Andre Fleury had 17 saves.
Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson staked the Blue Jackets to an early lead in the opening 3:18, with Cam Atkinson getting credit for a goal early in the final period that stretched the lead to 3-1.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Columbus.
WILD 1, AVALANCHE 0, OT
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Mikael Granlund’s diving goal 5:08 into overtime allowed the Wild to pull within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 45 of 46 shots, a franchise playoff record for shots on goal by the Wild.
Granlund cut toward the net for a wrist shot, and as he was falling forward took a stab at the puck to finally put one past Varlamov.
Darcy Kuemper made 22 saves, but the Wild goalie in his first career playoff start was just as good as his counterpart.
Game 4 is at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday.
STARS 3, DUCKS 0
DALLAS - Kari Lehtonen had 37 saves for his first career postseason victory, and the Dallas Stars beat Anaheim in their first home playoff game in six years.
Dallas captain Jamie Benn skated out of the penalty box to score late in the first period, and 19-year-old rookie Valeri Nichushkin added a goal for the Stars in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. The top-seeded Ducks won each of the first two games at home, both one-goal results.
Game 4 is Wednesday night.
Lehtonen, who held up through five Anaheim power plays, had a kick save near the end of one of those in the final minute of the first period.
That came right before Benn came out of the penalty box and skated toward the other end for the winning goal.
NHL playoffs glance
(x-if necessary)
FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7)
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Philadelphia 4, NY Rangers 2
Series tied 1-1
Boston 4, Detroit 1
Series tied 1-1
Montreal 3, Tampa Bay 2
Montreal leads series 3-0
San Jose 7, Los Angeles 2
San Jose leads series 2-0
MONDAY’S GAMES
Pittsburgh 4, Columbus 3
Pittsburgh leads series 2-1
Minnesota 1, Colorado 0, OT
Colorado leads series 2-1
Chicago 2, St. Louis 0
St. Louis leads series 2-1
Dallas 3, Anaheim 0
Anaheim leads series 2-1
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
Tampa Bay at Montreal, 6 p.m.
Boston at Detroit, 6:30 p.m.
NY Rangers at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
San Jose at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Pittsburgh at Columbus, 6 p.m.
Anaheim at Dallas, 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Boston at Detroit, 7 p.m.
x-Montreal at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m.
Colorado at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
San Jose at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
NY Rangers at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
x-Chicago at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
x-Dallas at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
x-Detroit at Boston, 3 p.m.
Columbus at Pittsburgh, TBD
x-Minnesota at Colorado, TBD
x-Los Angeles at San Jose, TBD
Sports, Pages 20 on 04/22/2014